Tapnell Farm is pleased to announce that it will be supporting four Island charities with fundraising activity in 2023. These are:

• KissyPuppy - The Sophie Rolf Trust
• Isle of Wight Youth Trust
• West Wight Sports & Community Centre Trust
• Hampshire & IW Wildlife Trust

Staff across the Tapnell Farm Group were asked to nominate Isle of Wight charities they would like the company to support and the four selected received the most votes.

Fundraising plans for 2023 include an Aqua Park Challenge (July), Football Golf Tournament and Quiz Nights at The Cow (January, February, March, November, December).

More details to follow.

KissyPuppy - The Sophie Rolf Trust

During May 2012 Sophie Rolf's parents noticed a tremor in their daughter's left arm and after numerous hospital visits and finally an MRI scan in June, the family received the terrible news that Sophie had an aggressive brain tumour.

Initially they set up ‘KissyPuppy’ as a mechanism to fund raise for Sophie and her family. Sadly Sophie lost her battle at the end of 2013, but KissyPuppy continues to provide support to children on the Isle of Wight suffering from life-shortening conditions and is now 'KissyPuppy – The Sophie Rolf Trust'.

In partnership with Earl Mountbatten Hospice, KissyPuppy - The Sophie Rolf Trust is funding a bespoke area for children and young people in a separate building on the hospice site, where they can receive day respite, social and emotional support sooner after diagnosis.

A number of new spaces for children and young people are included; such as rooms for work groups, relaxation, therapy rooms and areas for socialising.

KissyPuppy - The Sophie Rolf Trust has pledged to donate £300,000 towards the new children’s area, part of the much wider project to redevelop Oak House.

The majority of the Sophie Rolf Trust’s fundraising activity is conducted through the KissyPuppy children’s charity shop, part of the Earl Mountbatten Hospice shop at 22-24 Lugley Street, Newport, PO30 5HD.

For more information: KissyPuppy - The Sophie Rolf Trust, Mountbatten end of life care for children

Isle of Wight Youth Trust

The Isle of Wight Youth Trust is an independent charity, dedicated to supporting the mental health and wellbeing of young Islanders and their families.

“Life can be hard but accessing support shouldn’t be. By providing wellbeing and therapeutic support when it is needed, we empower young Islanders aged 4-25 to face life’s challenges.”

The Trust's Vision: An Island where children and young people’s mental health needs are well recognised and supported.

After the most challenging of times during the pandemic, there has been a huge increase in the numbers of children and young people reaching out to the Youth Trust for support. In 2022 the Trust received over 850 referrals for support and delivered over 3200 1 to 1 counselling sessions.

NHS research has identified that 1 in 6 young people aged 5-16 (5 children in an average class of 30), and 1 in 4 young people aged 17-18 have mental health support needs. This represents over 5000 children and young people on the Isle of Wight. With the right support, as early as possible, the Youth Trust can help prevent young people developing enduring mental health needs and enable them to feel more confident about their future.

No one describes the impact of the Youth Trust better than the children and young people who have accessed their services, below are just a few of their comments:

“I’m feeling like a weight has been lifted after working through deeply rooted issues and feeling better and more positive for the future”

“I used to not be able to go a day without over thinking or having intrusive thoughts. I now have none thanks to the Youth Trust.”

“I feel more confident and comfortable being me and it’s helped me cope with rough things at school. Thank you.”

For more information click here

Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust

Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust is committed to creating a wilder future by 2030, where nature is recovering, wildlife is returning, and ecosystems are being restored across our counties.

With the support of our 27,000 members, we want to see many more people on nature’s side. We aim to engage 1 in 4 people, encouraging them to take action for nature by becoming part of Team Wilder. We want to see at least 30% of land and sea transformed into wilder places where nature is recovering by 2030.

We are already doing this by expanding our nature reserves, ensuring land outside them is working for wildlife, restoring missing species and campaigning for the right policies to drive the change we need. But we need much more of this rapid, positive action to tackle the climate and ecological crises and to create a wilder future for us all.

We’re part of the UK-wide movement of 46 Wildlife Trusts, all standing up for the natural world. Together, we are the nation’s most active and influential nature conservation partnership, protecting wildlife in every part of the British Isles. Each Trust works within its local community to inspire people and bring about positive change.

All funds raised by Tapnell Farm will be used to support the Wildlife Trust's work on the Isle of Wight.

To discover and protect local wildlife on your doorstep with Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust, click here

West Wight Sports & Community Centre Trust

West Wight Sports & Community Centre is a registered charity providing activities that support people's physical and mental well- being.

It was initiated in the 1970s when a group of local people got together, raised money through charity events and built (with their own hands in many cases!) the first indoor swimming pool on the Isle of Wight.

West Wight Swimming Pool was born and has over the years grown into West Wight Sports & Community Centre - one of the main sports facilities on the Isle of Wight offering two swimming pools, sports hall, gym, exercise studios, meeting rooms, community centre and café.

As well as sport and physical activity, the Centre is now the base for the West Wight Community Connector who support those in our community struggling with disability, mental and physical illness, homelessness, abuse, addiction, bereavement, low income and many other challenges.

Our sports and physical activity programme continues to expand and we are currently planning our next initiative which is to build an outdoor covered area so that we can expand further our programme of fitness classes.”

For more information, click here